Notes from Abroad: Çesme

 

The afternoon after the wedding, we packed our things and took taxis to the port of Chios for our ferry ride to Çesme, Turkey.  Thankfully it was a short trip--it was boiling hot, and we had to suffer in the cabin without air conditioning, suffocating on engine fumes!  After that ride, we schlepped our bags a mile over cobblestones and uphill to our hotel*.  I can't tell you how refreshing my quick shower was after we had checked in.  (I was concerned about our suitcase wheels, but they did a great job!) 

Our hotelier gave us a great recommendation for dinner, a bustling eatery right near the boardwalk, where we introduced our children to our favorite Turkish fare.  Lentil soup really hit the spot for me, but everyone else had pide.  After dinner, we strolled on the boardwalk and watched the sun set behind Chios.   We stopped for ice cream at a place on a busy tourist street, and I got black mulberry sorbet.  It was delicious!  On our way back to the hotel, we stumbled into a building to see a photography exhibit, only to realize that it was a church that had been converted, probably during a tumultuous period of history.

*Our pension-style hotel gets my vote for best breakfast.  There was an urn  of strong tea (heavenly!) and also an excellent potato omelette, in addition to fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and watermelon.  A simple, yet delicious and satisfying breakfast!